With the release of "Kiss My Love Goodbye" as the first single and video, and another successful world tour, the album went on to sell 700,000 copies and earned the band its third gold album award. The band's third album, "Hollywood Vampires", was recorded in the fall of 1990. The video compilation from this album earned the band its second gold video award. "Never Enough" and "The Ballad of Jayne" followed, pushing album sales over 1,000,000 and earning the band its first platinum record award. It was a hit right away with the release of "Rip and Tear" as the first single and video. Guns went into the studio to record their second album, "Cocked and Loaded", in the spring of 1989. A compilation of the videos made from this first album also earned the band a gold video award. Tours with AC/DC, Iron Maiden and Def Leppard followed. Guns", went on to sell 750,000 copies and earned the band its first gold album award. Lewis sings this: It’s a game/And I know just how to play it/Yeah, I know just what I do/It’s a shame/That you’re always losing, ain’t it?/I play the game better than you”.The band was formed in 1986 and signed with Polygram Records in 1987, recording their first album that summer. And if I may be so bold, the key to it is in the chorus of “Better Than You.” All the other bands of the era are either not around, or the ones that are, merely knocking the old ones out. The LA bands didn’t sound like this in 1990, but it feels like a natural evolution, to something heavier and nastier.Īnd yet, it’s a move that only the LA Guns, really, have made. “That Ain’t Why” rather underlines all that and if “Physical Itch” rather brings us back full circle, it does so on its own terms. Ace Von Johnson is a fine foil for Guns and Scott Coogan and Johnny Martin provide a fine rhythm section. The groove that the band get these days is impressive. More, I suppose, aligned with their “Hollywood Vampires” days than any other, its huge, dark and excellent. “Let You Down” is one of the outliers of their whole career. “Knock Me Down” builds slowly and would – if anyone bought singles anymore – be the hit on this one, before “Dog” boogies like its playing with the big boys, but when they are going home the L Guns are still standing, brother.Ĭhapter four (if you will) is different again. The deadpan delivery of the chorus alone marks this one out for special treatment. “Better Than You” is the most “early” LA Guns that this one has to offer. Section three of the record kicks off with one of the best. The first three are loud and brash, then “Get Along” – with its kind of Beatles thing – and “If It’s Over Now” – a sort of power ballad for the 21 st century, remind everyone that they always knew how to do the slow ones. The sequence of the songs too, suggests that the band have a message here. The blues flavour of “Bad Luck Charm” still casts him as sniffing glue out the back with Ramones, while the way he spits out the lyrics to the brilliant “Living Right Now” including the stunning couplet: “Suzy got a uzi/ And Davy better run”, which leaves you rather concerned for Davy’s safety, suggests everyone enjoyed this one. That’s been LA Guns since Lewis came back, and he’s ramped up his sneer here. This is no plea for “Sex Action” or anything of the kind. It also has a solo that suggests that Guns reckons those arena rock days aren’t behind him, but look closer. “Cannonball” kicks off in trademark punk tinged fashion and is sleazier than almost anything this side of a Tory MP with their second job. While that collection was their “Cocked And Loaded” record in full, and was fun and everything, this one is the sound of a band moving forward and actually still with plenty to offer. It’s the contrast between the live album (which came out in the summer) and this that most strikes you though. Since 2017, this is their third studio record, there’s been a live record, and damn it all there was even a Christmas EP that didn’t make me want to gouge my eyes out with a spoon. That clarity aside, they’ve been prolific since Lewis returned to the fold. Why? Well, this is the one with Tracii Guns and Phil Lewis in. So lets keep it simple shall we: “Checkered Past” is the real LA Guns. I’ve seen two versions of the band play live, in the last year or so I’ve reviewed two bands with the name. Even as a fan of 30 odd years standing you can get lost in it all.
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